Pages

Marilyn Marinn

The Veiled Lady basqued in the beautiful shade provided to her in the July heat by the cherry trees. She pulled the lower portion of her veil back and forth to create a small breeze for her face and to let in the sweet aroma of the ripened berries.

The Prince was just down the row of trees, where he found one that was a bit smaller than the rest and held some lower hanging branches. Although much of his efforts were for naught, on a few occasions he was able to jump just high enough to procure a berry or two, which he promptly stuffed in his mouth. Clearly having grown tired of the literal fruitlessness of his endeavors, the prince scampered beyond the tree grove and to the outskirts of the blueberry fields.

“Stay where I can see you, love!” She yelled to him.

“Just this row.” The little prince yelled back.

Packing up the small bag of toys she brought for the Prince to play with, she got up and moved a bit closer to the edge of the cherry tree grove so that she might better see the Prince and his movements. She was unsurprised to find that the Prince had remained unmoved, and was, instead making himself quite comfortable in front of a generously adorned blueberry bush. He plucked off several at a time and stuffed them all in his mouth at once.

“Slow down, love. We will be eating lunch in a short while. I would hate to have you spoil it with too many berries.” She warned.

“Just a few more?” He begged.

“Oh. Alright.” The Veiled Lady caved. “How about five more?”

The Prince found this request reasonable and did not make any further complaint, but his subsequent action made it clear that this limit of five just meant that he would be choosing these last five berries much more judiciously. The Veiled Lady giggled a bit as she watched her charge inspect each blueberry. She imagined he was visually gauging which of them were the largest, and therefore, the best choice to fill his little tummy.

“My lady!” she heard a male voice calling urgently from behind her.

The Veiled Lady turned with a bit of a fright to see one of the King’s knights rushing towards her.

“What is it?” She inquired.

“My lady, we have been looking all over for the two of you.” He admonished.

“Well… You have found us. What is it that brings you to us in such an urgent manner?”

“My lady, I have been asked to escort you and the Prince to his chambers.”

“What is going on?” She asked. In the years she had been looking over the Prince, her daily activities had never been disrupted in such a manner. She could feel a nervous energy taking over her being.

“I am not obliged to say, my lady.”

“Not obliged to say?” She questioned. “Surely you can give some explanation. Are we in danger?”

“I have only been given orders to bring you to the Prince’s chambers. I have no other information I have been authorized to deliver.” The Knight explained.

By this time, the Prince had wandered over to his caretaker’s side. He seemed to have sensed the tension between both the Veiled Lady and the Knight.

“Lunch might be just a bit late, my love. We need to get back to the castle right away.” She explained to her charge.

As the Knight led them back through the cherry grove and towards the castle, the Veiled Lady took it upon herself to collect cherries along the way. She was unsure what was going on, but wanted to ensure that the Prince would be fed.

****

After arriving back to the castle, the Veiled Lady was, thankfully able to arrange the Prince’s lunch be delivered to his quarters. She was surprised, however, when the tray was delivered by one of the Knights instead of the Kitchen staff. It seemed clear that the two of them were being sequestered, but she still had no idea why. Lunch came and went and so too did dinner and several additional hours and still nothing. The Veiled Lady had been a bit stir crazy as a result of not knowing what was happening. The Knights, who were scurrying to and fro in the hall were keeping their whispers to one another, so she knew that there was something going on about which she was not being made aware.

She attempted, as much as she could, to keep the Prince entertained and her nerves at bay, but she could tell the Prince was picking up on them anyway.

“Are we ever going to be able to leave the room?” The Prince asked for what felt like the 100th time since they were first ordered to stay in.

“I’m afraid we cannot today. It’s nearly time for bed anyway. Perhaps all will be well tomorrow.” She speculated.

After getting Remedy dressed in his night clothes, she read the Prince one of his favorite stories and he finally fell into the bliss of sleep.

The Veiled Lady walked to the door in the Prince’s chamber that adjoined their rooms and opened it ever so slightly. She was surprised to find that there was a candle lit on her bedside table and the King, head in his hands, sitting somberly on the edge of her bed. He looked up at her when she came in, his eyes red from a combination of sadness and mead.

She quickly closed the door behind her so that no one, even the young prince, might see the identity of her visitor and walked over to him. He nuzzled the side of his face just below her bosom and wrapped his arms tight around her. As soon as her hands began to caress his head, he began to weep.

“You shouldn’t be here.” She whispered. “It’s too dangerous. If people knew…”

“Quinnella is missing.” He interrupted.

The Veiled Lady breathed in heavily, a lightness in her head. The events of the early morning began whizzing through her brain. She thought she had heard something from in the Prince’s chambers while he was bathing. Did she disregard the sound of the Princess being taken? Could she have stopped this from happening? Waves of disbelief and guilt overswept her and she lowered herself to sit next to the King for a moment before pulling him down to lay beside her. The King wrapped his arms around her and the two of them layed there in silence, less their soft sounds of weeping over the lost princess.

The July heat was beginning to rise as the noon hour approached. Coupled with the layered weight of her garb, Gweneva began to feel a bit faint. She was due to meet with the King, but his prior engagement must have run longer than initially scheduled. As she leaned over the stone balcony of the King’s quarters, she peeled back her veil to allow the cool sea breeze to kiss her flushed face. She closed her eyes and enjoyed it for a few moments before completely removing her headdress and running her fingers through her long black hair. She felt an even more satisfying relief come over her as the breeze passed through the paths she had forged with her fingers.

She looked to the pier, where a tiny version of the ship she rode in on rocked rhythmically to the tune of the steady tide. A twinge of jealousy arose within her as her now miniature crew frolicked in the shallow waters of the shore. However, she was glad to see them both taking some time to enjoy life while simultaneously fending of the effects of the intense heat.

“Gweneva!” She heard an exuberant voice express from behind.

She turned quickly and smiled when she found her old friend behind her. “Corbin! My goodness old man! How long has it been since we’ve actually come face to face? Five years?”

“Just a bit more than that, I’m afraid. Remedy was still in the womb at our last meeting and you had just become a new mother yourself.”

“That’s right!” She exclaimed. “Thank goodness for messengers, which have, at the very least, kept us in touch.”

“If only that method of correspondence were quicker.” He mused.

She nodded her head.

“Take a seat, old friend.” The King gestured to the table and chairs, closing the distance between them and assisting her as she sat down.

“Tell me, Corbin, how is young Remedy?”

“Doing well...Doing well…” He hesitated for a moment. “If I’m honest though, I fear he feels a bit isolated from time to time. He does not complain much, but I know he sees the other children playing around the city and I imagine he wonders why he cannot join them.”

Gweneva nodded, vast empathy clearly showning across her face. “I imagine it is hard, but Remedy is the heir and these times are fraught with danger. Someday Remedy willl understand.” She reassured him. “What of our Veiled Lady?”

“She is well… Takes wonderful care of the Prince.”

“Good.”

“What of my brother? Have you heard anything more?

“That’s why I’m here. It seems he has been seeking to court the Princess of the Kingdom of Ashford. If he wins her hand and curries favor with her father, this could be bad for Frowena.” Gweneva explained. “This Kingdom has been out of Ashford’s good graces since the Great Battle.”

“All due to my brother’s lies!” The king lashed out, pounding his fist upon the table.

“You and I know that. But up North, he has the entirety of the border region and, from what I hear, several of the Kingdoms to the North convinced that you are guilty of horrendous war crimes.”

The King let out a frustrated sigh and slumped a bit in his seat. He looked at his old friend’s face for a long moment. It was clear that he was at a loss as to how to begin remedying the diplomatic and political mess in which he currently found himself.

“What do I do about this, Gweneva?” He asked in desperation.

“Perhaps we can help one another out.”

The King perked up a bit. Leaning forward, to take in the thoughts of one of his oldest and wisest friends. “What are your thoughts?”

“The Sect’s leader has floated the idea of moving my post, just across the Frowenian border...”

“Ashford or Hillmont?” The King questioned.

“Ashford.” The King nodded in her direction, beginning to understand. “ The sect is much more active in Ashford’s political sphere. I could get information to pass to you, perhaps it would even give me some sway there.”

“It might put you in danger. I’m not sure I could ask that of you.”

“You haven’t asked. I’ve proposed. Frowena is my true home and I would risk it all before I see it fall to the likes of your deviant brother.”

“So that was the quid, what is the pro quo?” The King asked.

“As you said, it could be dangerous.” Gweneva hung her head in deep consideration. “Frowenians are already not well liked in Ashford. I’m not sure that it would be wise to bring Gadrien along with me regardless of whether I turn spy for the Kingdom. I could leave him with members at my current post, but with all that has happened over the last several years, I am not entirely sure who to entrust him to for such a long period of time…”

The King nodded. “Go on.”

“Remedy needs a playmate. Gadrien needs a caretaker while I am gone. Perhaps you would be willing to take him in.”

“Of course.” The King didn’t hesitate for even a moment. “But are you sure you could be away from him.”

“Missing your children is just a cost of taking on a leadership role. It will be for longer durations, but he is already quite used to not having me around. At least with this arrangement, he would have some consistency and I would feel confident that he was well cared for and safe.”

The King looked her in the eye. “You and your son are always welcome. It would be an honor to have him here. I suspect that Remedy and Gadrien will be fast friends, just like their parents.” He smiled softly at her and she smiled back.

The sweet moment between old friends was brought to a swift halt with a loud and frenzied pounding on the door to the King’s quarters, followed by two Knights barreling into the room.

Both the King and Gweneva rose with alarm.

“Your Highness!” One of the Knight’s called out, intensity in his voice. He walked onto the balcony and spotted Gweneva, causing him to walk back the severity of his tone a bit.

“My apologies your highness, but we have an extremely urgent matter developing.”

“What is it?” The King asked.

“Perhaps we should speak privately.” The Knight suggested.

“No need. Gweneva is a close friend.”

The Knight hesitated for a moment. Unsure whether he should proceed with a woman in the room.

Diggory pulled the last of the fresh produce that he was to deliver to the kitchens, and gently placed it in his delivery basket. The sun had been beating down on his burning brow, beckoning sweat to the surface. He wiped it away with his forearm before walking the short distance from the East gardens to the castle kitchen.

Once he arrived, he peeked inside. The cooks and scullions were all abustle prepping the council’s brunch. It took Diggory a few moments to flag down old man Glenn and a few more moments to wait as his hunchbacked, 77 year old frame made his way to him. As usual, he could see the old man was aching.

“Diggory, my friend!” Glenn exalted.

“Mornin’!” Diggory responded. “The produce you requested is all here.”

“Oh thank you, Lad!” Glenn squealed.

“How are you feeling today, Mr. Glenn?”

“These weary bones often make themselves known. To get old, my friend, is a dreadful thing.” He gave Diggory’s shoulder a gentle but shaky squeeze. “Be sure to live while you can.”

Diggory handed him the basket and followed the old cook to one of the large wooden prep tables in the middle of the room. “Besides that, dealing with a bit of a shortage. A couple of our boys are in the infirmary with some sort of ailment or another. I need to figure out who will be delivering the Prince’s breakfast...the King’s midday basket...well I suppose I could send those together to save some time.” Glenn thought out loud. “How’s your morning?” He asked, as he began arranging a tray and basket.

“Fine, sir.” Diggory considered momentarily before seizing upon the opportunity that had been presented to him. “Say, Mr. Glenn…” he began. “Perhaps I can bring these items for you. My morning is a bit lite. I would be more than happy to help out.”

The old man paused for a moment and looked Diggory in the eye. “You are a good man, Sir.” Diggory smiled at him as he returned his attention momentarily to the tray and added a few pieces of bacon to it before delivering directions. “This one,” he said pointing to the tray, “goes to the Prince’s quarters. The Veiled Lady will be expecting you any time. Deliver it first. The basket,” he continued, “goes to the king’s quarters. Leave it on the terrace table.”

“Alright.” He responded. “Not a problem, Mr. Glenn.”

Diggory watched as Glenn turned around and tapped the shoulder of a young man behind him. Glenn snapped his finger and gestured towards a large metal pitcher of juice, which the boy swiftly retrieved and handed to him.

Glenn lifted the pitcher to Diggory’s eyes to ensure he was paying attention. Once he felt assured, he continued with his instructions. “The prince will have cups in his room. Pour both him and his caretaker a glass and bring the pitcher, with the remaining juice, to the king’s quarters. He will have a guest this afternoon, so take a few moments to put out two glasses from the King’s drink cart. Got that?”

“Of course, Mr. Glenn.” Diggory affirmed as the old man filled his arms with the tray, basket, and a brimming full pitcher.

“On your way then.” Glenn said, nodding thankfully towards Diggory.

Diggory moved swiftly through the castle corridors. Taking care not to spill the contents of the royal family’s meals onto the floor, but also being mindful of the seconds he could save, and possibly use to search the King’s quarters for information that might be valuable to his cause. In eight years he had collected little to no evidence of the rumored misdeeds of the King. Arguably, he had never had any solid access. There had been a couple of occasions when the King had requested fresh flowers be delivered to his quarters but Diggory was always met with an internal frustration when Ponce and the King were both present for the delivery.

Today, however, would be different. The King’s monthly council meeting would be beginning any moment and he would surely already be in council chambers. It was well known that throughout the castle that Ponce would use the time of the monthly council meeting to either partake in a long nap or tend to other personal business around the city. Diggory was fully aware that this was the opportunity he had been waiting for through all of these years. He hoped that he could finally find something of substance to deliver to his contacts who, much like himself, were hell bent on bringing down the King.

He finally made it to the entrance of the Royal quarters where both one fat and one skinny boy stood.

“Good day, lads.” Diggory began. “Old man Glenn has sent me with the Prince’s breakfast and a basket of produce for the King’s quarters. I’m to set up for a meeting the king is to have later this afternoon.”

The fat boy nodded in his direction as the skinny boy pushed open the chamber door to allow his entrance. He thanked the two of them and walked over the threshold, hearing the heavy door creak shut behind him. He walked quickly down the corridor where he was soon met at the Prince’s doorway by The Veiled Lady, who held two cups in her hands.

“Diggory, what a pleasant surprise.”

“Good day, my lady.”

“You’ve taken up a new post, I see.” She joked.

“Just doing a favor for Mr. Glenn is all.”

“That’s kind of you. That old man’s been here forever.”

“Has he?” Diggory asked.

“So I hear…” She responded.

Diggory thought he noted a bit of nervousness in her voice. He wondered if, perhaps, she was attempting to charm him. He had no time for such non-sense, however, so he gestured with the tray and offered only a small smile. She seemed to get the hint and set both glasses on the tray before taking it into her own hands. He quickly poured a bit to drink in each glass and gave his leave before continuing deeper into the corridor towards the King’s chamber.

Once he entered, he took a quick look around. As he suspected it would be, the chamber was quiet and devoid of any staff. He walked directly to the king’s drink cart, grabbing two glasses from the top, along with a service cloth and then immediately made his way to the balcony. He plopped everything down, pouring just a bit of juice on the cloth. He wanted to ensure he had a reason to be in the chamber for a longer duration, and he decided a feigned spill might help his cause. After preparing his “evidence,” and making the table look presentable, he rushed back into the chambers, throwing the juice-soiled cloth among the King’s soiled garments and towels and then made his way over to the king’s desk.

It was large and sturdy looking with ornate carvings all around it with an equally regal looking chair behind it. He sat down and began to take in the mess of books and papers that were strewn across it. Diggory carefully examined each document and leger while simultaneously taking care to keep it in the same state of organized chaos in which he had found it. Paper after paper proved fruitless. The papers consisted, mostly, of boring letters from diplomats and foreign leaders providing updates about their own state of affairs or requesting one form of aid or another. Diggory became increasingly annoyed by the banality of it all. He had been in there for some time when he suddenly heard footsteps fast approaching.

He panicked for a moment before quickly slithered off of the chair and under the desk. He breathed slowly and deeply as he heard movement in the chamber. He twisted ever so slightly, bringing his eye to one of the many very small holes amid the carvings in the desk. He found one that was just adequate enough that he could see a bit of what was happening in the room. He saw Ponce, a slight panic apparent in his body language, with a piece of parchment in his hand. Ponce slid the piece of paper into a nook between the bed and the small table that sat to its side.

Diggory let out an excited gasp and immediately regretted it. Ponce must have heard it, even if only faintly because he stopped in his tracks and scanned the room with suspicious eyes. Thankfully, he must have fancied it was all in his head, because he seemed to dismiss whatever suspicion he had rather quickly, turning on his heel and scurrying out of the room.

His heart was beating so quickly, he thought it might escape his chest, so he waited a few moments after Ponce’s departure before finally ascending from beneath the desk. He carefully peeked around the room, with a renewed sense of caution before he made his way to the bedside. Gently, he felt around between the table and bed until he felt the scroll and pulled it from its hiding spot.

Diggory’s hopes sank slightly when he saw that it was sealed, but he decided he did not want to miss his chance, so he stuffed the scroll in one of his pockets and moved toward the chamber doors. He peeked out hesitantly and was thankful that he did. He saw Ponce in front of the Princess’s chambers leaning over a tea tray, adding something from a small vial into one of the cups before stowing the vial in his pocket and entering the Princess’s chambers.

With the hall finally clear, Diggory took his leave, shuffling as fast as possible to escape the chamber. He opened the door to the quarters just enough for his thin body to make through. To his surprise the boys who were attending the door when he first arrived were not manning their post. Instead, he saw them far down the way, struggling to transport a large trunk. He counted his blessings before slipping down a different corridor and escaping their attention, making his way back toward the castle grounds.

The Prince was finally dressed in one of his official event outfits and his hair was properly groomed. After placing his small, but elaborate, crown atop his head, the veiled lady took Remedy’s hand in her own and began to lead him through the dimly lit tapestry path and out of the room. Peering down the hall, toward the entrance to the corridor, she spotted Ponce just down the way, rushing from his room and stopping dead in his tracks. She thought it was slightly odd behavior but she did not have time to dwell as the Prince was tugging on her hand to divert her attention to a lone pair of shoes sitting on the other side of his chamber doorway.

“Someone’s left their shoes!” Remedy remedy pointed out with a bit of confusion. “Do you think they meant them as a gift to me?”

“I don’t know, darling.” She said half uninvested, looking back towards Ponce just in time to see the back of his heel as he re-entered his chamber.

“Well that would be a strange gift. Why would they leave me girl shoes? They aren’t even my size!”

The Veiled Lady turned her attention back to her charge. “Perhaps they were meant for your sister.” Her mind floated back to the slight disturbance she thought she had heard earlier on and a slight nervous stirring began in her mid-section. Perhaps someone had been there and seen things they were not meant to see. She swallowed in an uneasy gulp and stood up tall as not to suggest anything was off, as she was about to walk through the palace in front of several house attendants and visitors. She had to ensure her body-language did not convey any unease. With that, she began to walk to the corridor exit with the Prince at her side.

The Prince continued to fixate on the shoes outside of his chamber, asking questions as to why they might have been there. “But why were they outside of my room?”

“You ask very good questions, my prince. I’ll bet there is someone new in the castle who was confused about which room your sister is in.” She attempted to reason.

“Maybe they shouldn’t work here then. I mean if they cannot get it right…” He said as the Veiled Lady opened the doors to exit the royal quarters. A fat boy and a skinny boy sprung to attention and then kneeled as the young prince passed. The Veiled Lady took a moment to nod in each of their directions as a recognition of their service, but the prince paid no attention and continued on.

“Darling, if that is the case, you must be compassionate and allow people some time to learn. Remember how long it took you to learn the alphabet or master simple mathematics? It took you some time but I did not release you as a pupil.”

“But it is their job.” The prince reasoned.

“As was it your job to be an apt pupil. However, you needed time to master your tasks as do others. You should always be kind, considerate, and patient with people as they learn new things. Sometimes repeated failure can lead down a path to eventual success.” She explained.

“Perhaps you are right, Veiled Lady.”

“I’m sure you will find, in time, that I am.” She looked down to see Remedy nod in approval of her statement. She loved these moments outside of his usual childish innocence, where he would become exceedingly mature for his age and fully display his capacity for learning. In this moment, it made her feel somewhat emboldened. “Might I make an additional observation and provide council?”

“Yes.” The young prince responded as they continued their walk to the King’s council room. He looked up at her.

“As we walked out of the royal quarter, you neglected to recognize the young men bowing to you… I feel this is a mistake.”

“Why?” He inquired genuinely.

“Any ruler can command shows of respect from their constituents out of fear of the consequences for not complying, but it takes a special ruler to have their constituents bend their knee out of honest adoration and respect. I recommend finding the time in all circumstance to show mutual respect for your subjects. A simple ‘good day’ or a nod in their direction will make your people feel a sense of pride and may help to ensure their continued loyalty.”

The prince stopped in his tracks. The Veiled Lady turned to the prince to see him give her a slight, thankful nod. “I will be sure to heed your advice in the future, Veiled Lady.” He smiled at her, and although he could not see it, she smiled back at him as well. She was impressed to see that the prince truly took her word to heart. As they moved through the more populated sections of the castle, as his subjects bowed down as he passed, he took a moment to recognize each and every one of them.

They finally came upon the King’s council chambers, where two tall men stood, clad with armour. As the pair approached, the knights unsheathed their swords, holding them before them, straight up and down, hilts to their chests.

“What business have you with the King’s council?” the one closest to them bellowed?

“I have been asked by the King to accompany the prince to today’s meeting.” The Veiled Lady explained.

“You’re late.” The other knight accused.

“His presence was only requested for the last hour, which should be starting momentarily.”

The second knight let out a bothered groan and rolled his eyes before each knight pushed through their respective side of the double doors. “Pardon the interruption my lord. The Prince has arrived.”

The Veiled Lady could see the mass of men collected around a large table all turn at once to face the door. The king stood at the head of the table, his hair gray and his face with tired, and untimely wrinkles, and motioned for entrance. The prince immediately scuttled through the doors towards the King. As the Veiled Lady began to move forward, the Knights crossed their swords in front of her to block her entrance.

“No entrance.” The first guard stated.

“I was asked to accompany the Prince to th…” She began to explain.

The second knight cut her off before she could finish her thought. “Women have never been and are not now permitted in the council chambers.”

“But the King gestured for our entrance.” She pleaded.

“He gestured for the prince. You can wait outside. There is a chair down the corridor.”

She looked to the King who gave a slight shrug of the shoulders and apologetic eyes.

“But…” She continued.

“Women have never been and are not now permitted in the council chambers.” The second knight reiterated.

The Veiled Lady put her head down in defeat. She knew, strictly speaking, that their assertion about women in the chamber was not entirely accurate, but now was not the time nor the place to make a scene. Feeling slighted by the bodily accessories of her sex, she walked to the chair down the hall and waited for an hour for Remedy to reemerge.